Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers is congratulated by Mitch Moreland (18) after his two-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Cubs, Cards Split

CHICAGO (AP) — David Bote hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh and final inning, Adbert Alzolay pitched five solid innings in his first start of the season, and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Wednesday night to split a doubleheader.

St. Louis’ Brad Miller hit a tying RBI single in the bottom of the sixth against Jeremy Jeffress (2-1). But the Cubs quickly answered.

Playing as the visitor in the nightcap because the game was a makeup from a postponed series in St. Louis from earlier this month, the Cubs loaded the bases against Andrew Miller (0-1) on singles by Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras and Nico Hoerner with one out. Bote, whose pinch-hit, hit three-run homer won the second game of Monday’s doubleheader, then lined a single to center against Giovanny Gallegos, making it 4-2 and propelling the Cubs to their third win in four games.

Craig Kimbrel, who lost the closer’s job after a shaky start to the season, worked the seventh for his first save. He struck out Kolten Wong after hitting Tommy Edman with two out to close out an unusual five-game, three-day series.

In the opener, Matt Carpenter belted a first-inning grand slam and the Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-3. St. Louis held Chicago to two hits in the seven-inning game even though shaky starter Jack Flaherty only recorded five outs.

Alzolay gave the Cubs what they were looking for in his third major league start, holding the reigning division champions to an unearned run and two hits. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked one after being called up from Chicago’s alternate site in South Bend, Indiana.

Johan Oviedo went five innings for St. Louis in his major league debut, giving up two runs and two hits

Royals 4, Reds 0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brad Keller pitched hitless ball into the sixth inning and extended his shutout streak, leading the Kansas City Royals over the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader

Keller (3-0) has won all of this starts this season after coming back from a positive test for COVID-19 and hasn’t permitted a run in 17 2/3 innings.

Pitching in seven-inning game, Keller held the Reds without a hit until Tucker Barnhart looped a single into center field to begin the sixth.

Cincinnati played for the first time since Friday night. The Reds had home games against Pittsburgh called off Saturday and Sunday after a player tested positive for the virus, and the series opener at Kauffman Stadium was postponed Tuesday night while Major League Baseball did additional testing.

Red Sox 6, Phillies 3

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox ended their nine-game losing streak, with Rafael Devers homering and driving in three runs Wednesday to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3.

Devers finished with three hits. Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs to help Boston avoid its first 10-game losing streak since 2014.

Philadelphia had won four straight after a 13-6 romp to open the two-game series Tuesday.

Red Sox starter Kyle Hart allowed two runs with four walks and five strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in an opener role. The 27-year-old gave up seven runs in two innings in his major league debut against Tampa Bay last Thursday.

Austin Brice (1-0) struck out two over 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Boston held an opponent to three or fewer runs for the first time since a 5-3 win over Toronto on Aug. 9.

Phil Gosselin, Didi Gregorius and Rhys Hoskins each had an RBI for Philadelphia. Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (1-3) surrendered four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three over 4 1/3 innings.

Tuesday

Nationals 8, Braves 5

ATLANTA (AP) — Victor Robles denied a homer with a brilliant catch above the center-field wall and the Washington Nationals bounced back from a stunning loss to beat the Atlanta Braves 8-5 Tuesday night.

With every starter contributing to a 17-hit attack and Eric Thames driving in three runs, the Nationals overcame a 5-2 deficit with a four-run fifth inning.

This time, the bullpen made it stand up — one night after closer Daniel Hudson surrendered a three-run lead in the ninth, giving up a pair of homers including Dansby Swanson’s two-run, two-out shot.

Freddie Freeman homered for the Braves, and Austin Riley could’ve had one in the fifth if not for Robles.

With two outs and a runner aboard, Riley hit a shot that appeared headed over the wall in the deepest part of Truist Park. But Robles drifted back, timed his leap perfectly and stretched above the yellow line to make the catch, preserving a 6-5 lead.

Rounding first, Riley buckled backward in disbelief when he saw Robles holding up his glove to display the ball. On the mound, Wander Suero thrust his right arm toward the sky, clearly relieved that his teammate had bailed him out.

Josh Tomlin, coming out of the bullpen to make his first start of the season for Atlanta, gave the Braves four decent innings before handing off to a 5-2 lead to Tyler Matzek. Tomlin is a former Whitehouse star who resides in Tyler.

But the Nationals torched Matzek (2-2), who surrendered six hits and four runs — and committed a throwing error — while recording only a single out.

Adam Eaton, Juan Soto and Yan Gomes all had RBI singles off Matzek before Thames drove in the go-ahead run with a hard grounder to first. Freeman knocked it down, but his only play was to step on the bag while Asdrúbal Cabrera scooted home.

Suero (1-0) earned the win with that big assist from Robles. Hudson was handed another three-run lead in the ninth, and this time he held on for his fifth save.